Self-conscious people just can’t handle confident cats

Those three little words just happen to be a deal-breaker for any relationship (both personal and romantic) I’ve ever had.

Cats are intriguing animals. They are known to be confident, independent and self-sufficient creatures. They are capable of both giving and receiving love; however, unlike dogs they don’t need constant human reassurance. This leads me to draw only one logical conclusion: People who hate cats for no reason have self-esteem issues.

I am a strong, independent woman. I love affection and attention when I want it and on my own terms. I don’t need anyone to hold my hand through all of life, and there is not much more I value than some quality alone time curling up and taking a little catnap. I am curious in nature and like to believe that that same curiosity fuels my creative fire. I’d like to think I am somewhat intelligent. I pride myself on being witty, and I value independence in its entirety. I am dignified and like to believe I am extremely self-sufficient.

It only makes sense to me that these qualities I see in myself are what drives me to love cats so much. Cats possess all of these qualities and more. They are blessed with a special kind of manner that sets them apart from any other domesticated animal.

Don’t get me wrong, dogs are great. There is not much more in this world that I love than being greeted when I come home from school or a big, slobbery, wet kiss when I’ve been down in the dumps. The reassurance dogs so humbly supply us with is great and all, but there is just something so much more admirable about the characteristics seen in cats.

Cats more often than not can’t be told what to do. They exemplify regal characteristics and make their masters question if they are really “masters” at all.

I know when I call my cat over to sit on my lap he usually sneers at me and turns the other cheek. That’s OK though. You do you, kitty, no hard feelings. I don’t take offense to my cat not feeling the need to seek my constant approval or appease me at all times. Hell, I don’t want my kitty thinking I’m clingy. Antonio Banderas, or Puss in Boots, as I like to call him, hit the nail on the head when he said, “Cats are very independent animals. They’re very sexy, if you want. Dogs are different. They’re familiar. They’re obedient. You call a cat, you go, ‘Cat, come here.’ He doesn’t come to you unless you have something in your hand that he thinks might be food. They’re very free animals, and I like that.”

Cats, much like myself, give love and attention when they want to. They are walking to the beat of their own drum. Realistically they don’t NEED human companionship, but instead use it as enrichment. Confident, independent people operate in a very similar way.

People who exemplify these prided characteristics don’t rely on others heavily. They don’t need a significant other to assure them that they are worthy or special — they just know. They have enough confidence in themselves to not think twice about what others think. Cats are very much like this.

People who dislike cats with no true experience around cats, let alone even having one, aren’t completely confident with themselves. These people misunderstand cats to be sneaky saboteurs and undermining villains. Cats are seen as schemers with a standoffish nature, when in fact people with these faulty perceptions are really not taking the time to understand the exquisite essence of a cat in its entirety.

People who are not confident enough in themselves and need constant reassurance in their lives feel threatened by cats.

The way I see it, people, is that cats are like Beyoncé. Beyoncé is one of the most beautiful women in the world. She is fierce, literally Sasha Fierce, and she displays an uncanny amount of confidence. The only men or women that argue Beyoncé’s worthiness are people not comfortable in their own skin. It is human nature for people who lack certain qualities in themselves to resent others who possess those qualities. It is easy for people to envy confident or independent people (such as Beyoncé) because they wish they were confident in themselves. Beyoncé carries herself in a very independent manner. If Jay Z got up tomorrow and decided he was leaving our girl B, she would be no less fabulous. In fact, she might even be more fabulous than ever because “Single Ladies” would have a new authentic kind of ring to it.

All I am saying is cats are no different than Beyoncé. They are fierce, confident and independent. People with low self-esteem feel threatened by these triple-threats, so they don’t choose to understand or like cats. Self-conscious individuals resent cats because they personally wish that they, too, could see the regal qualities of cats in themselves.

Ali Schultz studies journalism. She can be reached at alexandraschultz@unr.edu and on Twitter@AliSchultzzz.